Ground maintenance vehicles for performing a variety of tasks are known. For instance, vehicles designed for or having grass cutting decks or other attachments (e.g., for lawn/soil fertilizing, aerating, dethatching, vacuuming/blowing, and the like) are available. While embodiments of the present invention are applicable to most any ground maintenance vehicle or, for that matter, to most any type of vehicle, they will, for the sake of brevity, be described with respect to riding lawn mowers incorporating a grass cutting deck.
For lawns having numerous obstacles, tight spaces, and/or intricate borders, mowers having zero-radius-turning (ZRT) capability are known. As the name implies, “ZRT” generally indicates a vehicle having a very tight minimum turning radius. While advantageous due to their high degree of maneuverability, ZRTs are also adept at mowing large, open areas. This versatility makes ZRT mowers popular among both homeowners and professionals alike.
As with other mowers, ZRTs are subject to regular maintenance to ensure consistent operation. For instance, sharpening/changing of the cutting blades and cleaning of the cutting deck are needed periodically to ensure that optimal cutting efficiency is maintained. Accordingly, mowers that provide convenient access to the underside of the cutting deck are advantageous.
One ZRT mower configuration that provides convenient access to the deck is referred to as an “outfront” mower. As the name implies, outfront ZRTs position the cutting deck in front of the vehicle and, as such, may allow the cutting deck to be easily raised, often to a position that is 90 degrees or more from the operating position. While advantageous, positioning the cutting deck forward of the vehicle results in a longer and sometimes more complex mower configuration.
An alternative to outfront ZRTs are “mid-mount” mowers. Mid-mount ZRTs position the cutting deck underneath the mower frame between the forward wheels and the rear wheels, allowing a shorter overall vehicle length and a potentially less complex deck/vehicle interconnection. Mid-mount ZRTs may not, however, provide the convenient flip-up deck of their outfront counterparts. Accordingly, deck maintenance, e.g., blade replacement and deck cleaning, may necessitate either access: via the limited space available between the deck and the ground; or, alternatively, via jacking of the mower.
Some advanced ZRT mowers may incorporate an on-board jacking device to raise the mower to a desired height. While such mechanisms have proven to be effective and well-suited for larger framed commercial machines, they may be cost and/or space prohibitive for smaller mowers. Accordingly with the latter, a jack attachment point may be integrally formed or fixed to the mower frame. The jack attachment point may selectively connect to an external jacking device that may then apply a lifting force to the mower. Depending on the mower size and jack point configuration, integral jack points may have certain disadvantages, e.g., undesirable aesthetic appearance of the jack point, potential interference with some mower operations, dedicated jack point needed for each mower unit, etc.